From: Mia H H Lam Subject: SB3176 LIVES ON FOR ANOTHER VOTE! (fwd) Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 13:39:28 -1000 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 13:28:29 -1000 From: Friends Of Marriage Project Hawaii Subject: SB3176 LIVES ON FOR ANOTHER VOTE! Tomorrow, Thursday March 30, at 4:30 pm, the House Finance Committee will hear SB3176. SB3176 tries to provide easier access to insurance for registered gay and lesbian couples (such couples are called "reciprocal beneficiaries" in Hawaii). Here is a short history of the bill: it passed the Hawaii Senate 22-1 on March 7. When the House received the bill, four committees were assigned to review it (normally, this is the kiss of death). Labor was first, the Consumer Protection and Judiciary, and finally Finance. Rep. Terry Yoshinaga of Labor decided that she didn't need to hear the bill. Both Consumer Protection and Judiciary approved the bill, with some dissent and concern over conflict with federal laws (these concerns were raised by Hawaiian Electric Company, which owns American Savings Banks and other enterprises). On March 24, the House had its 2nd Floor Vote (2nd out of at least 3 required) and sent the bill to the Finance Committee by a vote of 38 to 10. Please offer testimony to the House Finance Committee if you can. The hearing is in Room 308 of the Capitol, with lots of bills on the agenda (and much waiting). You can fax testimony to the House Sgt-At-Arms 586-6501 (800-535-3859 for neighbor island residents). State that your testimony is for the House Finance Committee hearing on March 30, 2000 at 4:30 pm in Room 308, and that the committee request 45 copies (the Sgt-At-Arms will take care of making the copies). MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAWAII RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES. Contact from WITHIN THE DISTRICT is worth 100 contacts from outside. To learn who your representative is (and how they have voted so far), email FofMPH@hawaii.rr.com with your street number, street, city and zip. With best regards, Tom Ramsey President, Friends of Marriage Project Hawaii PS. Here is a list of Finance Committee members, with email@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-phone, 586-fax, and room in State Capitol. All voted "Yes" in the 2nd Floor Vote on SB3176 on March 24, except for Moses and Meyer. If you contact someone who voted "yes", please say "THANK YOU" and urge them to continue to support SB3176. If you contact someone who voted "no", BE VERY GENTLE; DO NOT EXPRESS ANGER. You can express mild disappointment, urge them to review the testimony and ask them to vote "yes" in the future. Chair Dwight Takamine, reptakamine@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6200, 586-6201, Room 306 Vice Chair Bertha Kawakami, repkawami@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6280, 586-6281, Room 434 Bob Nakasone, repnakasone@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6210, 586-6211, Room 424 Ezra Kanoho, repkanoho@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6270, 586-6271, Room 432 Barbara Marumoto, repmarumoto@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6310, 586-6311, Room 313 Brian Yamane, repyamane@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8515, 586-8519, Room 331 Galen Fox, repfox@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8520, 586-8524, Room 319 Brian Schatz, repschatz@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-9425, 586-9431, Room 326 Sylvia Luke, repluke@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8530, 586-8534, Room 324 Lei Ahu Isa, repahuisa@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-9415, 586-9421, Room 314 Nathan Suzuki, repsuzuki@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6220, 586-6221, Room 316 William Espero, repespero@capitol.hawaii.gov (uncertain), 586-6360, 586-6361, Room 332 Mark Moses, repmoses@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8500, 586-8504, Room 310 (Moses voted AGAINST SB3176 in the 2nd Floor Vote on March 24) Michael Kahikina, repkahikina@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8465, 586-8469, Room 328 Colleen Meyer, repmeyer@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-8540, 586-8544, Room 333 (Meyer voted AGAINST SB3176 in the 2nd Floor Vote on March 24) Iris Catalani, repcatalani@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-6490, 586-6491, Room 323 Kenny Goodenow, repgoodenow@capitol.hawaii.gov, 586-9450, 586-9456, Room 425 =============================================================================== From: Mia H H Lam Subject: Good News! Terry Lets SB3176 Go On (fwd) Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 14:14:18 -1000 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 14:09:18 -1000 From: Friends Of Marriage Project Hawaii Subject: Good News! Terry Lets SB3176 Go On Thank you for all the contacts made to Rep. Terry Yoshinaga about SB3176! Here's a note from one of Terry's staff members: "In the interest of time, our Labor committee has waived its interest in this bill. It is now awaiting a hearing in the CPC and JHA committees jointly. Best of luck in your endeavors." Karen -- Labor committee clerk for Rep. Terry Yoshinaga. CPC and JHA have scheduled SB3176 for a joint hearing tomorrow (Thursday, March 23) at 2:15 pm, Room 325 at the State Capitol. You can read the full text of the bill at the Marriage Project Hawaii web site, http://members.tripod.com/~MPHAWAII/ Among other things, SB3176 mandates the State of Hawaii and its county governements to offer health insurance to employees who are "reciprocal beneficiaries" (Hawaii's name for registered domestic partners) on the same basis as for married couples. The bill may make insurance easier to obtain for privately employed couples as well, but it does not mandate private employer coverage. You can fax testimony to the House Sgt-At-Arms office at 586-6501 (from Oahu) or 1-800-535-3859 (from neighbor islands). State clearly that it is for the joint hearing of the CPC (Consumer Protection and Commerce) and JHA (Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs) on Thursday, March 23, at 2:15, and that 45 copies are needed for the committees. For more information on testifying, call the CPC committee at 586-6150. To learn who is on the CPC and JHA committees, go to http://www.hawaii.gov and browse from there (it may be buried several pages deep). Again, thank you for contacting Terry Yoshinaga! Tom Ramsey President Friends of Marriage Project Hawaii